In Which States Do Physician Assistants Earn the Highest Paycheck? – 7/18/2013

Physician Assistant (PAs) practice medicine under the direction of a physician or surgeon, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLM) Occupational Outlook Handbook. PAs are trained and licensed to diagnose illness and injury, to provide basic medical treatment, and to perform patient examinations. The high level of training and expertise required of physician assistants translates to above-average annual salaries. Entry-level positions in the field require a Master’s Degree. If you’re considering becoming a physician assistant or are in the field and seeking a new job, understanding salary averages can help you make smart decisions and negotiate a reasonable salary for your location.

National Physician Assistant’s Salary Statistics

The 2010 median pay for physician assistants in the U.S., again according to the BLM Occupational Outlook Handbook, was $86,410. Mean annual wage as of May 2012 was $92,460. Employment for PAs is expected to rise 30 percent between 2010 and 2020, much faster than the 14 percent total for all occupations—and even greater than the expected 26 percent overall increase for all “health diagnosing and treating practitioners.”

Top States for Physicians Assistants

The BLS also publishes Occupational Employment Statistics for physician assistants. States with the highest employment level for PA jobs include New York, California, Texas, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina. Top paying states include Rhode Island, Connecticut, Washington, Oregon, and Nevada. Rhode Island tops the list, with an annual mean wage of $112,250.

Physician Assistant Salary By State

SalaryByState.org compiles current job listings for various professions and figures average salaries by state. Their listings for physician assistants as of April 2013 show these averages:

Alabama: $92,000 annual average salary for physician assistants, 2 percent higher than the national average.

Alaska: $76,000; 16 percent lower than the national U.S. average.

American Samoa: $97,000; 8 percent higher than average.

Arizona: $79,000; 12 percent lower than the national average.

Arkansas: $89,000; 1 percent lower than average.

California: $99,000; 10 percent higher than average.

Colorado: $79,000; 12 percent lower.

Connecticut: $98,000; 8 percent higher.

Delaware: $84,000; 7 percent lower.

Florida: $86,000; 5 percent lower.

Georgia: $99,000; 9 percent higher.

Guam: $76,000; 16 percent lower.

Hawaii: $64,000; 29 percent lower.

Idaho: $75,000; 17 percent lower.

Illinois: $95,000; 5 percent higher.

Indiana: $90,000; even with the national average salary figured by SalaryByState.org.

Iowa: $84,000; 7 percent lower.

Kansas: $82,000; 9 percent lower than the national average.

Kentucky: $79,000; 12 percent lower.

Louisiana: $76,000; 16 percent lower.

Maine: $80,000; 11 percent lower.

Maryland: $91,000; approximately the same as the national average.

Massachusetts: $103,000; 14 percent higher than the national average.

Michigan: $88,000; 3 percent lower.

Minnesota: $82,000; 10 percent lower.

Mississippi: $105,000; 16 percent higher.

Missouri: $90,000; approximately the same as the national average.

Montana: $92,000; 1 percent higher than the national average.

Nebraska: $73,000; 19 percent lower.

Nevada: $83,000; 8 percent lower.

New Hampshire: $89,000; 2 percent lower.

New Jersey: $95,000; 6 percent higher.

New Mexico: $81,000; 10 percent lower.

New York: $106,000; 17 percent higher.

North Carolina: $89,000; 1 percent lower.

North Dakota: $85,000; 6 percent lower.

Ohio: $85,000; 6 percent lower.

Oklahoma: $83,000; 9 percent lower.

Oregon: $85,000; 6 percent lower.

Pennsylvania: $80,000; 12 percent lower.

Puerto Rico: $92,000; 1 percent higher.

Rhode Island: $90,000; about the same as the national average.

South Carolina: $81,000; 10 percent lower.

South Dakota: $70,000; 22 percent lower.

Tennessee: $85,000; 6 percent lower.

Texas: $85,000; 6 percent lower.

Utah: $79,000; 12 percent lower.

Vermont: $85,000; 6 percent lower.

Virgin Islands: $104,000; 15 percent higher.

Virginia: $90,000; approximately the same as the national average.

Washington: $86,000; 5 percent lower.

Washington, D.C.: $86,000; 5 percent lower.

West Virginia: $89,000; 1 percent lower.

Wisconsin: $79,000; 12 percent lower.

Wyoming: $83,000; 8 percent lower.

SalaryByState’s methods appear to be substantially different than the BLS, since their calculations place the BLS’s top-paying state of Rhode Island ($112,250) right at the national average of $90,000. SalaryByState calculations are based on a range of available online job listings rather than actual recorded job salaries, and so may have a wider range that affects the average salary amount.